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♪ oh, the music from new orleans. i love it, i love it. we'll have some fun tomorrow on the show, too, with the super bowl. come back with us tomorrow. we have fun on friday. >> oh, yes. what do you get when you mix the super bowl and mardi gras in new orleans? it is our "favorite story of the day." we both love new orleans. >> near and dear to my heart. always. you get a big party in the big easy right now. at the center of it all, a sibling rivalry between two head coaching brothers. but it's their parents who are stealing the show. >> who has it better than us? nobody!

>> reporter: meet the proudest parents on the planet, jack and jackie harbaugh. for their sons it is just another day at the office, as their two teams prepare for the biggest game of their lives. at 49ers practice, head coach jim harbaugh watched closely as he put his team to work. not too far away, harbaugh's brother, john, guided his baltimore ravens through their drills. but even tough as nails ray lewis found time to crack a joke. the harbaugh brothers will go head to head in what is now being dubbed the harbowl. >> no one talks to anyone. jim is very quiet and guarded. john is very quiet and guarded. that's exactly the way we wanted them. >> reporter: their mother she is more optimistic. >> this is like -- frosting on the cake for our whole family. >> reporter: oddsmakers have the 49ers favored by 3 1/2 points. but the super bowl is in new orleans, so if you want a prediction ask the expert at reverend zombie's house of voodoo. even then there is no clear answer.

>> your regret is upside down. and their, their sorrow is sideways. i can't really say. but, i can say it looks -- you're looking pretty good. i would shore up the offense though. >> reporter: for new orleans all the super hype is business as usual on bourbon street. food, music, and of course, flying beads for mardi gras which this year shares the spotlight with the big game. the best of both worlds. >> you are not going to be able to walk. >> a lot of these people can't walk right now. >> that's because they're drunk. >> new orleans spirit. let the good times roll. >> a reminder, send us your super bowl pictures. we want to see you in ravens or 49ers garb. >> this is an overnight show. okay to be risque. show your creativity, and maybe cleavage, video, whatever you have got, show them on the show

tomorrow. find all e-mail information on our facebook page, wnnfans.com. >> we have gotten some cleavage pictures from some fans. >> i would -- i would -- k-billy was his tag. he sent all his cleavage pictures yesterday. some bartending friends. they were look all over the place. >> sent some good ones, kbilly's pals. >> i enjoyed them. >> you did! >> show team spirit. we want to see what is going on out there in overnight land. ravens, niners. tattoos, outfits, costumes whatever you got. >> open to all that. >> have fun. eat well. get ready for the big game. but for now, coming up next -- rihanna's reunion. >> why she decided to go back to chris brown. you are watching "world news now." >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our

rihanna on the cover of tomorrow's edition of "rolling stone" her cover article is titled "crazy in love." >> because it is about her reunion with chris brown. despite a lot of evidence to the contrary, she says he is a changed man. here's abc cecilia vega with more. ♪ i choose to be happy >> reporter: these days rihanna is happy in love and now opening up for the first time about her reunion with chris brown. in a new "rolling stone" interview, the mega star says she and brown are in a great place and she is not apologizing for it. she says, i decided it was important for me to be happy and i wasn't going to let anybody's opinion get in the way of that. even if it's a mistake, it's my mistake. it has been four years since that infamous night when brown left rihanna bloody and bruised. she described it to diane sawyer. >> he had no -- no soul in his eyes. just blank. he was clearly blacked out.

there was no person when i looked at him. >> reporter: brown has been making headlines this week for an alleged brawl with singer frank ocean. but rihanna says he is a rehabilitated man. he made a mistake and paid his dues she says. he paid so much. sometimes people need support and encouragement instead of ridicule and criticism and bashing. the pop star says their relationship has changed for the better. it's different now. we don't have those types of arguments anymore. we value each other. we know exactly what we have now, and we don't want to lose that. rihanna told "rolling stone" fans should not confuse her love for weakness. >> there's no third chances. she will walk away and have no problem with it. >> reporter: and if it happens again? that is just not an option

rihanna says. i wouldn't be here if i didn't think chris was ready. just like the name of her newest album, rihanna truly is unapologetic. >> let's all hope for his and her sake he has changed and that there will not be a repeat incident. there will not be much sympathy for her if there is another incident. >> he doesn't get a pass. a man doesn't get a pass on behavior like that. >> i don't disagree. whatsoever. >> i'm disappointed. >> she had to come to a gentle soul, gentle giant. >> you are a gentleman. you are of a gentleman. >> treat her right. you don't know about that, willis. i would treat rihanna right. >> he is a gentleman. >> take a little lesson from tina turner. maybe things get rough, get out of there. >> get out of there. >> she got to roll out. proud mary style. she got to roll out. proud mary style. intermezzo is the first and only prescription sleep aid approved for use as needed in the middle of the night when you can't get back to sleep. it's an effective sleep medicine you don't take before bedtime. take it in bed only when you need it

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ask your doctor about intermezzo and return to sleep again. ♪ it's scary how much dirt your vacuum can leave behind. add resolve deep clean powder before you vacuum to expel the dirt within your carpets. resolve's deep clean powder is moist. absorbing and lifting three times more dirt than vacuuming alone. leaving you with a carpet that's truly fresh and clean. don't just vacuum clean. resolve clean. >> with hotwire's low prices, i can afford to visit chicago for my first big race and l.a. for my best friend's wedding. because when hotels have unsold rooms, they use hotwire to fill them. so i got my hotels for half-price! >> men: ♪ h-o-t-w-i-r-e ♪ hotwire.com

♪ i am dedicating this next story to everyone in the tv news business. every reporter has been doing, at some point in their career, a

live shot and there some moron in the background, jumping, waving. everybody in tv has been through this. you have probably seen it at home. it is annoying and distracting. there was a reporter from wkng, orlando, reporting from new orleans, on bourbon street, some drunk person on bourbon street came up and tried to get on camera. look how brilliantly this reporter handled it. >> what is left is people walking around with a glazed look in their eyes. like this one behind me. hi, yes, how are you doing? >> california. >> very nice to meet you. >> 49ers. >> you are going to do an interview with us? >> sure. >> we are just talking about here on bourbon street, the std rate that's been going on here. and so how long have you had an std? >> i don't have an std. >> oh, then why did you want to talk. >> that was masterfully handled. i have never seen another reporter handle it that well.

and embarrass that girl. had a beer in her hand. that was brilliantly reported. and that tv reporter, we'll appreciate the moment. she totally got that girl. get out of my live shot. much love to wkng in orlando. going to follow that girl on twitter. i have respect for how she handled that. >> next, men sometimes feel they will perhaps get more love and affection from their women if they help around the house and do house chores. there's been a study. no, no, no. apparently women sort of find it not so sexy when men are helping them with their house chores and doing housework and cleaning around. and they get less sex if they do it. >> oh. >> men, don't, i guess don't help out in that way. some women will find you less masculine and less sexy. >> less sex for some domestic chores. but more if something like handy work and fixing stuff that kind of thing. >> i guess that follows, yes. >> i'm saying if you do the laundry that is not sexy.

but if you're putting a new roof on, there's a difference in the kind of work. >> maybe. doesn't really say that. yeah, more traditionally masculine jobs. like home repair. >> nothing wrong with that. got to keep the pipes clean. also, a new thing out there now. they're getting into perfume for babies. babies always smell good. when they're not full, you know what i mean? >> delicious. >> apparently many brands are doing this. burberry, dolce and gabana. it's going to be literally perfume for newborns, for infants. perfume for newborns, for infants. >> they don't need it.ys of walg

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visit the3day.org to register or to request more information today. ♪ burning like a fire ♪ building up from deep inside it was 3 days of pure joy. susan g. komen's investments in early detection and treatment have helped reduce breast cancer mortality in the u.s. by 33% since 1990. help us continue serving the millions of women and men with breast cancer who still need us every day. register for the 3-day now. (woman) it's just been an amazing, amazing journey. i love these people. ♪ and it's beautiful this morning on "world news now" -- nature's rampage. storms more common in springtime tear through the south with a vengeance during the middle of winter. >> the tornadoes' deadly

consequences, extremely powerful winds and widespread damage. it is thursday, january 31st. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." happy friday eve, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm sunny hostin. the dangerous winds from that storm could turn the morning commute hazardous today for millions. we'll have the latest on that. it is remarkable the weather. >> oh, yeah. the roller coaster. >> 60 degrees in new york. >> balmy now in new york. by the time we get out to go home after the show it will be a blizzard outside again. so it's been a wild ride. dead of winter. got to love it. >> that's right. and another major headline this morning, the hostage drama in alabama. in the middle of it all a little boy, 6 years old stuck in an underground bunker. this is just remarkable, this little boy taken off a school bus. the bus driver shot and killed. and the little boy is still being held hostage.

>> just 5 years old going through an ordeal like that. wait till you hear the background on the suspect in the case and what he was known in the neighborhood for. very scary character. just say that. this morning, highly paid baseball player in the middle of a federal drug investigation. the new, serious allegations a-rod is now facing. and the big money at stake. first lance armstrong. now getting into a-rod. king of the yankees. there are no more heroes, folks. he, of course, is denying it. it doesn't look good now. >> it doesn't. later the mastermind of the embarrassing manti t'eo hoax reveals his true motive. the jaw-dropping details are coming up in "the skinny." you must stay tuned for that. because the details are truly jaw dropping. not to say i didn't call it though. >> you and millions of others. we had this discussion earlier in the week about the, the hoaxer's motives perhaps more questionable than the hoaxee's. what he admitted to dr. phil kind of clears a lot of things up.

>> sure does. >> so stay tuned to that for sure. first the killer storms threatening the east coast this morning. after trouncing the south and midwest. two people so far are dead. >> as many as two dozen tornados have touched down. the winds so fast and furious they derailed a freight train in missouri, blowing 50 cars off the tracks. coverage begins with abc's larry jacobs. >> reporter: a trail of debris stretching as far as the eye can see in this town about an hour north of atlanta. again, a funnel just crossing the interstate here in adairsville. for 20 minutes an f-2 tornado with wind estimated at 125 miles an hour demolished homes and businesses and pulled down power lines. >> there was no warnings from no sirens, no nothing. >> i was so scared it just picked me up and slinged me three times. >> reporter: overturned cars littered major georgia roads. and the twister picked up

18-cheelers and tossed them around like toys. >> i couldn't believe it picked my truck up and flipped it over lick that. i mean, i can't believe it. >> reporter: one person was killed in georgia. another death reported in tennessee when a tree fell on a shed where a man sought shelter. tornados there packed winds up to 115 miles an hour causing more misery. in indiana, a storm system left thousands in the dark and destroyed dozens of homes. >> i didn't know if i was going to make it through it or not. >> reporter: extreme weather marching across the country brought heavy rains and flooding to other areas. strong winds blew through north carolina. look what the wind did to this police helicopter in pennsylvania. larry jacobs, abc news, new york. >> what a mess around a large swath of the country. and besides those destructive winds, part of the storm system is now dumping snow in some pretty large amounts. >> snow fell on wide areas of the midwest. it was so windy, roads drifted shut. this morning that storm is hitting the most populated areas of the country. let's get the latest from jim dickey at accuweather. good morning, jim.

>> good morning, rob and sunny. thankfully the storm that caused all the trouble the past few days, that's departing out to sea. across the northeast here, wind shifting out of the north and west behind the front. temperatures will tumble through the afternoon. many spots this morning in the 50s. by the time the sun sets, 20s and 30s. wind will be gusting through the day, causing widespread problems, especially at the airports. gusts to 60 miles per hour. across the northeast into new england. and that is a chilly air mass. arctic air firmly entrenched in the upper midwest. this is the cold air moving in. right now. your daytime high in bismarck, minus 12. hold at zero in minneapolis. and pierre. as the cold air moves over the lakes looking for significant lake-effect snow. rob, sunny, back to you. >> thanks, jim. now to the hostage standoff in rural alabama and the waiting game. last night, dozens gathered about a mile from where a man is holding a 6-year-old boy captive to pray for a safe resolution. police say it started tuesday afternoon when the man, jimmy

lee dykes, killed the boy's bus driver before taking the boy hostage. a neighbor calls him paranoid and violent. >> i kept saying that this -- it's -- you know if a man can -- can kill a dog, beat it with a lead pipe and brag about having done it, then it's, it's nothing until -- until it is going to be people. >> the bunker where the boy is being held is said to have electricity, food, and a television. authorities say the boy has received medicine. >> frightening ordeal. man. there is new momentum this morning toward immigration reform. a bipartisan group from the house is working on legislation similar to proposals by senate negotiators and president obama. the groundbreaking measure could be unveiled within days. president obama says he would like the whole process wrapped up in six months. >> it has been too long since we reformed the system. and we are starting to see a bipartisan consensus build around this.

>> florida republican lawmaker mario diaz-ballard said he felt a huge sea change on the issue from both parties. certainly -- we talked about this all week, changing demographics in the country made this possible. they're going to get something done. certainly see action more easily and quickly on this than you will on gun control. that's for sure. >> of course, because it's the latino voting bloc. everyone came out in droves. if you are the republican party you have got to be concerned about that. you have to somehow change your message to attract that group of voters. the message before the election was, you know, let's shore up our borders. let's not worry about, immigration reform. and now we are hearing a different message. >> mitt romney talking self-deportation, mixed messages from his campaign, where he stood. it was all interesting. president obama made it clear if congress doesn't act i will send my own bill up there and get something done. there definitely seems to be some determination to get something done. >> and on both sides of the aisle. >> exactly.

which is nice to see one issue with a -- with a little bit of bipartisanship. nice to see, an issue the country talked about for decades. finally maybe some action on the way. well, john kerry's senate seat has been filled now that he's been confirmed as next secretary of state. massachusetts governor patrick appointed former chief of staff, william cowen. cowen will serve in the senate until june's election. for kerry's permanent replacement. it is the first time in history there will be two african-americans serving in the senate. the other is tim scott from south carolina. >> impressive diversity gains in this congress. all kinds of records shattered. women, african-americans. so very interesting. toyota is recalling more than 1 million cars because of two different safety defects. 907,000 toyota corolla and matrix models are being recalled because of faulty airbags. between 2001 and 2004.

nearly 400,000 lexus i.s. cars sold over the past six years may have defective wipers. they get stuck during heavy snowfall. toyota will make the repairs as always for free. new generation of the blackberry has been unveiled with a touch screen designed to rival its competitors including the iphone. the new blackberries come with a new operating system. one version due out in march will have a touch screen. another version on sale a month later will have a physical keyboard. alicia keyes, my ex-girlfriend has been named creative director. the company officially changed the name from research in motion to blackberry. that name change makes a lot of sense. no one called it research in motion. everyone said blackberry. >> i may give that a try. i was a huge blackberry fan. then after the keyboard. >> the keyboard is too small. >> the issue it blacked out. i was done. then i was done. >> i've don't like it. >> i lost so much information, so much data. after three days, i gave up.

i may give it another chance. >> i will do whatever alicia tells me to do. >> exactly. >> that girl is on. ♪ fire all right, well, i am the mother of two. so i will just say, god bless these parents. on monday, viviana and emannuel eberle of wisconsin were welcomed into the world by their parents, curtis and vicki. >> easy for curtis and vicky to remember the birthday. because at home they have another set of twins, get this who were born on the same exact day, two years ago. but at least they have some unpaid help at home. the couple has a 7, 5, and 3-year-old. god bless that family. >> that's very -- >> that is a full house. >> -- ambitious. >> yeah. >> at least you have to have one birthday party for four kids. >> yeah, you consolidate. >> yeah. that's -- and they're all under the age of 7 then. >> fertility not a problem in that household. >> not at all. >> the boys are swimming.

coming up next, a real-life med ka drama for a star known for his x-rated movies. and later, cats kill birds. we all know that. how many birds? a number that may astound even the most loyal cat lovers. you are watching "world news now." ♪ meow-meow-meow ♪ meow-meow-meow >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by consumer cellular. brought to you by consumer cellular. by consumer cellular. how far will people go to relieve their sore throat?

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for a better clean. the pro-health clinical brush from oral-b. could alex rodriguez be the lance armstrong of baseball? the sport's highest paid player confessed to using performance enhancing drugs but said he stopped ten years ago.

>> but now, a report by a miami newspaper claims he used them more recently than that. and now, the dea is looking into it all. here's abc's bob woodruff. >> reporter: they are one of the greatest teams in sports, he was on track to become the best in baseball. so the yankees signed alex rodriguez, known as a-rod, to a ten-year contract worth $275 million. the biggest in history. >> numbers were just mind-boggling. people thought his career is set. this guy is going to walk into cooperstown some day as the greatest of all time. >> reporter: the yankees paid a-rod $30 million last year alone. that's more than $238,000 per game, $234,000 per hit, and each home run, a whopping $1.6 million. his prowess on the field, often overshadowed by his prowess off. those blue eyes, charming the likes of cameron diaz, kate

hudson, even madonna, as red sox fans gleefully mocked. but now it all could be falling apart. rodriguez is facing new accusations of using performance enhancing drugs. major league baseball is investigating. and sources tell espn, the yankees want a-rod out. >> his production has been flagrantly diminishing. >> reporter: rodriguez long accused of using steroids. see how he bulked up over the years. he finally came clean in 2009. >> i did take a banned substance. and, um, you know, for that, i am very sorry. and deeply regretful. >> reporter: a-rod insisted he stopped doping back in 2004 and that he's always been clean as a yankee. his spokesman repeating the claim as new charges swirl. but he has got another $114 million left on that mega contract. which is why the yankees may be looking for ways out of this troubled marriage. bob woodruff, abc news, new york.

>> what another spectacular fall from grace that could be. wow. coming up next, breaking right now. a sex scandal involving a very famous nfl star. and excuses, excuses, from lindsay lohan. that's coming up next in "the skinny." >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our b?

♪ skinny

so skinny ♪ >> skinny in the house! >> pretty good. >> willis is here in case you didn't notice. yeah. all right, manti te'o. talking about this a long time. this scandal, everybody seems to be a little bit obsessed with. the guy behind it all, the hoaxer, who kind of obviously duped manti, tuiasosopo, i think i said that right this time. >> ronaiah tuiasosopo. >> there it is. you say it much better than i do. he was on dr. phil's show. will air thursday or friday. they released a clip of what he said during the in the view -- the interview. the bottom line, the guy is saying he did this all because he fell in love with manti. according to dr. phil. here we have a young man that fell deeply romantically in love. i asked him straight up, was this a romantic relationship with you? and he said, yes. i said, are you therefore gay?

he said, when you put it that way, yes. then he caught himself, and said, quote, i am confused. that is what you will hear during the interview. a clip has been released. >> why did you end this relationship? >> there were many times where manty and lennay had broken up before, but every time that -- either i would try to end it or he could, he would, it's like -- they would break up and then something would bring them back together, whether it was something in his life or in this case, my life. >> 22 years old. obviously confused. says he fell in love with manti. >> bizarre he is talking about this as if she existed. but it's him! >> it is bizarre. now we are getting, at least getting psychological clarity on what was going on there. interesting. >> manti t'eo is a handsome guy. i could see how someone might just fall for him. >> you and tuiasosopo -- breaking news this morning, too. >> yes, keeping with the

football theme. hot and juicy. everybody knows dan marino, ex-quarterback, for the dolphins, squeaky clean image. inducted into the hall of fame in 2005. had an affair. >> this, according to a big article in "the post" this morning. >> according to "the post" had an affair with a 35-year-old production assistant at cbs sports where he was a pregame analyst. and still is an analyst for cbs. her name, the woman, donna sabatire. they had a baby girl named chloe, born in june 2005. two months before his hall of fame induction. and he admitted all of -- he paid her to be quiet. mills and millions of dollars. and he admitted to his wife, admitted yesterday, to this affair on his 28th wedding anniversary with his wife. >> he has a big role in the super bowl. have to wonder will cbs yank him or not. >> dan, dan, dan. >> always was a prolific scorer. also, lindsay lohan, back in the news again.

apparently, had another court date. here in new york. then she tried to get out of it saying she was sick. seen over the weekend smoking cigarettes and shopping. kind of weird. take a look at what the judge said sarcastically. >> i love this judge. >> there was some drama concerning her attendance today. and with due respect to the court -- >> glad to see you are feeling better. >> thank you. >> indicated an upper respiratory condition. and he felt -- >> is that like a cold? >> yes. >> a cold? >> yes. >> yeah, lindsay. >> the judge said, glad you are feeling better. all very sarcastic. so -- ouch. we also want to send good wishes to ron jeremy. >> ron jeremy. >> the adult star had a heart aneurysm. may not be looking good. thoughts and prayers with him. we'll be back. we'll be back. [ female announcer ] what does the anti-aging power of olay total effects

plus the perfecting color of a bb cream equal? introducing the newest beauty trend. total effects cc cream c for color. c for correction. [ female announcer ] fight 7 signs of aging flawlessly. cc what's possible.

in the middle of the night it can be frustrating. it's hard to turn off and go back to sleep. intermezzo is the first and only prescription sleep aid approved for use as needed in the middle of the night when you can't get back to sleep. it's an effective sleep medicine you don't take before bedtime. take it in bed only when you need it and have at least four hours left for sleep. do not take intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as ambien. allergic reactions such as shortness of breath or swelling of your tongue or throat may occur and may be fatal. intermezzo should not be taken if you have taken another sleep medicine at bedtime or in the middle of the night or drank alcohol that day. do not drive or operate machinery until at least 4 hours after taking intermezzo and you're fully awake.

driving, eating, or engaging in other activities while not fully awake without remembering the event the next day have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. alcohol or taking other medicines that make you sleepy may increase these risks. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. intermezzo, like most sleep medicines, has some risk of dependency. common side effects are headache, nausea, and fatigue. so if you suffer from middle-of-the-night insomnia, ask your doctor about intermezzo and return to sleep again. ♪ ♪ meow-meow-meow-meow ♪ meow-meow-meow-meow ♪ meow-meow-meow-meow [ laughter ] >> sorry. a whole separate discussion.

>> exactly. we know all -- we do know that all people fall into one of two camps. either a dog person or cat person. cat people, listen up. >> uh-huh. a new study finds that cats are killing machines. far deadlier than any of us ever imagined. abc's resident cat lover, dan harris, has the frightening details. >> reporter: in the age of youtube, they play patty cake, get stuck in sleeves, and even in this viral video i made with the apsca, fly. but do not be fooled by all this alleged innocence. reality might be closer to this. >> behind the adorable exterior lurks lethal intent. the serial killer purring in your lap. you will never look at fluffy the same. >> reporter: ben johnson voices

vailers f trailers for movies. we wrote that for him. but it turns out it is all true. we all know cats eat birds. what stunned scientists behind this week's new study when you do thorough sleuthing on cats it turns out they're four times more vicious than previously imagined. every year they kill 12.3 billion mammals, like chipmunks and 2.4 billion birds, a feeding frenzy that is even endangering some rare birds. why? because the number of stray cats has exploded. and it turns out felines are much deadlier than we knew. >> he is the cutest serial killer you will ever meet. >> reporter: amy watts thought she knew her cat, booker t. but when scientists put a camera on the kitty, it captured carnage. the new numbers took me by surprise too. i never thought my wife and i were harboring three cold-blooded killers in our own home. but it is a real problem. a human problem. experts say we are the reason the cat population has exploded and we all have to do a better job of keeping them inside. >> dan, you will never look at your cats, steve, gus, and whoopi, the same. >> reporter: maybe not. thanks, ben.

dan harris, abc news, new york. >> i knew there was a reason i never liked cats. >> i love cats. but look, they eat birds. birds are tasty. we eat birds. >> not -- aw. see, look. second later that thing gouged my eyes out and robbed my house. >> they're wonderful. they're independent. they're spirited. i love cats. i had a cat for 20 years. cleo. cleo. >> cat is probably on death row now. we'll be back. >> announcer: this is abc's "world news now," informing insomniacs for two decades.

this morning on "world news now" -- hostage crisis. the difficult negotiations in alabama where a 5-year-old boy is being held by a gunman. >> police may know what made the gunman snap, kill a school bus driver, and then take that

little boy as his hostage. it is thursday, january 31st. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." good morning. i'm sunny hostin. >> and i'm rob nelson. we'll get to that tense scene in alabama coming up in our top story. imagine what the little boy is going through. >> kindergartner. >> young, young kid. this guy apparently who is doing this or is holding this boy hostage has more than his fair share of problems as we are learning from the neighbors and folks in the area. >> and he didn't know the little boy. there is no connection between the two. that's what makes it even scarier. >> you assumed they're related. at this point, no evidence of that. we will turn to gabby giffords and her appeal for gun control on capitol hill. a gunshot survivor herself, her message to law makers was heard

loud and clear. just days before the super bowl sunday, the push to protect football players from serious head injuries. can new high-tech helmet designs really make a difference? let's hope so. >> let's hope so. whatever they can do is probably worth a shot. later this half hour, what you did not know about jimmy kimmel's best friend and bandleader, cleto escobado. i took five years of spanish all i can say is hola and cervesa. he came from a very humble background. we get into a little bit of this life backstory there. impressive how he made, done so well. >> you can say cervesa, which is beer. >> yeah, cervesa, the fundamentals. but first, turning to a serious story. the hostage ordeal in rural alabama. dozens gather at a church near the scene where the standoff is taking place last night. >> while they prayed for a peaceful end to the situation, authorities warn it could drag fn for awhile. abc's mark greenblatt has the

details. >> reporter: a tense hostage situation is still unfolding in midland city, alabama after a gunman kidnapped a 6-year-old boy from a school bus tuesday. police say the suspect murdered the driver who tried to resist. >> he started telling him he needed a kid because something about the law coming after him. and then he shot the bus driver. >> reporter: police sources identify the suspect as jimmy lee dykes, the owner of the same property that s.w.a.t. teams have descended upon and where the gunman is holed up in an underground bunker with a young boy. >> at this time we have no reason to believe that the child has been harmed. >> reporter: neighbors say he has long been a problem. >> i always called him mean man. >> reporter: the 65-year-old reportedly a military veteran who missed a court hearing where he was to face charges for menacing neighbors. police radio traffic captured the chaos he 'ledgedly caused. >> just had a bus driver shot. possibly deceased. >> the suspect has removed a child from the bus.

they're on foot -- >> reporter: parents of other children on the bus panicked. >> nobody called and told me anything. now he jumps in her car. i'm going to look for my son. i called home. he's not home. >> reporter: but police say dykes took just one child, a boy who happens to need special medications, now stuck in a hole difficult for s.w.a.t. teams to reach. >> we ask for prayer for all the families involved, and law enforcement is here working tirelessly. >> reporter: the suspect is providing food and water to his hostage. more troubling we are told he may have enough food in the bunker to last weeks even months. mark greenblatt, abc news, new york. rob, sunny, back to you. another scary situation. police in phoenix are calling a 70-year-old man on the loose armed and dangerous. arthur harmon suspected of killing a man and wounding two people yesterday morning at a law firm office. it is believed he fled the scene in a rented white car. harmon is involved in a lawsuit and the shooting is believed to have happened after a mediation session. amidst so much violence, congress formally opened gun

control debate with a dramatic appeal from shooting victim gabby giffords. the former arizona congresswoman helped to the witness table by her husband, mark kelly. gifford spoke just 80 words during her time at the mike. she said too many children are dying because of gun violence. and she called on lawmakers to do something. >> it will be hard, but the time is now. you must act. be bold. be courageous. americans are counting on you. >> after that, kelly argued for better background checks for gun buyers. meanwhile, the head of the nra, waip la pie wayne lapierre, was there as well. he said criminals would not be impacted by them because they do not undergo background checks. after the hearing, kelly and

lapierre shook hands. >> strong disagreements. good to see they did shake hands. we disagree. we did so cordially and respectfully. >> what is the answer? what is the nra putting forth as the answer? >> security in schools, armed guards at their schools. that's their answer. the famous quote. the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. that is their stance. more guns, arm everybody. >> what about all the loopholes? gun show loophole? there has to be an answer from the nra about that. >> even with all of the debate going on right now. it seems the assault weapons ban that we had from '94 to 2004, it still doesn't appear that that is going to go through. a lot of opposition. opposition to that. we are a gun loving country end of the day. one issue they get around and make head way on the background issue, the loopholes you just mentioned, the ones, particularly, a private dealer or at gun shows, the same check system is not in place. that is gaining some ground. the ban itself not so much. >> what about the high-capacity ammunition?

what about that? >> i haven't heard much on that one. miles to go on the issue. turns overseas where israel made a rare military strike against one of its neighbors, syria. here is abc's global affairs correspondent martha raddatz with more. >> reporter: officials say truck loads of dangerous weapons were being loaded from a facility in syria and then headed for lebanon. officials say inside those trucks were sa-17s, those are very capable, mobile, radar-guided surface-to-air missiles. israeli war planes were launched to destroy the trucks and stop them from entering lebanon before the militant group hezbollah could get their hands on them. the building where the trucks were loading or departing was hit. hezbollah is a sworn enemy of israel. if hezbollah had gotten those missiles it would have significantly increased their capability in any future conflict with israel. this was not israel getting involved in the conflict in syria, per se. it was very much israel making a preemptive strike to protect itself.

martha raddatz, abc news, washington. >> i think that's important because early reports sort of were, were suggesting that perhaps i had real was getting involved in the inner workings of the syrian war. that, now we know, is not necessarily the case. >> nobody wants to touch that. but in terms of getting too deeply involved. even the u.s. has been very kind of wary about how deeply they're going to get involved in this. the real issue, if assad loses control and those weapons he has get into the wrong hand that's when the situation turns much more grave, much more serious, potentially volatile and that could be the turning point that would draw the u.s. more deeply into syria if the weapons, particularly the chemical ones, get into the hands of those radical groups. so, keeping an eye on that for sure. in brazil, talk about pointing the finger. the owner of the nightclub where more than 230 people were killed in a horrifying fire, is blaming the whole country for the tragedy. fire swept through the kiss club

on sunday. investigators found all kinds of violations including overcrowding and a lack of emergency exits. now the owner believes it was up to the public inspectors to make sure the building was safe. unbelievable. in florida, a request to delay the trial of florida gunman george zimmerman. his attorneys say they need more time to prepare their case. they claim the prosecution is slow to turn over evidence. the lead attorney also renewed his request for donations saying it could cost up to $1 million to defend zimmerman. who is accused of killing teenager trayvon martin. also some news from the super bowl this week. 49ers defensive back chris culver is now apologizing for a controversial comment he made about gays. culver was drafted by the niners two years ago. on tuesday he said he would not welcome a gay player in the locker room.

that if the 49ers had any gay players they should leave the team. last night though culver said he is sorry, calling his remarks, hurtful and ugly. the team is not saying if he will be disciplined. perhaps he forgot what city he plays for. not exactly homophobic city of san francisco. dude. man. severe storms ripped through the south and midwest are being blamed for at least two deaths. there were two dozen reports of tornados including one that touched down in northern georgia tossing around cars, trucks, and trees. an uprooted tree crushed a mobile home killing a man inside. another man died in tennessee when the tree fell on the shed where he was seeking shelter. with that here is your thursday forecast, everybody. hope for a calmer day. that severe weather is moving up the east coast with powerful winds from atlanta to boston. we also have heavy rain in d.c., new jersey, and new york. more than a foot of lake-effect snow around western pennsylvania, upstate new york and michigan. rain and mountain snow in the northwest. >> 50s from seattle to portland.

14 below zero in fargo. that's right. you heard right. single digits. indianapolis, omaha. 50s and falling in the northeast. >> very different day here than yesterday. for sure. >> yes. and here's another from the "we wouldn't show it to you if it didn't go in" file. talking basketball here. the high school variety. >> came right at the end of the first half on tuesday. a game between two team from rhode island, here we go. waiting for it. wait for it here. did we see it? yeah, that was senior ben gerard, merville high school, he's the captain, the team's leading scorer, and was named player of the game. nice going there. can we see it again? there, missed it the first time. >> that may be luck. you don't practice that shot, right. that may not be skill. that may be luck. >> everybody in their backyard hoop, school, practices the half court. just for that moment. >> that wasn't like a -- >> it's not finesse from half court.

>> no. >> he got it in. that's all that counts. nice going, dude. coming up next, better protection for pro football players after so many head injuries on the field. a major food fight over frozen pizza and the critical claims they are full of poison. you are watching "world news now." ♪ pepperoni pepperoni ♪ pepperoni ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by colonial penn life insurance.

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>> the poison in question is transfat. as abc's gio benitez reports, her multimillion dollar lawsuit aims to take their whole pie. >> reporter: stouffer's and california pizza kitchen are coming under fire. a new class-action lawsuit claiming the maker of the popular pizza brands are a danger to public health. taking on nestle who produces all three brands, katie simpson of san diego. in the lawsuit she just filed she argues the company is placing profits over public health by not removing transfat from their pizzas. katie has two young children and she likes to make pizza for them. and all kids love pizza. it shouldn't have a toxic food additive that has been banned in many parts of the world. >> reporter: california, followed by 13 cities across the u.s. bans transfats in food served in restaurants because

they raise bad cholesterol and lower the good kind. there are no bans on transfats in packaged food. the fda and usda only require that companies list all ingredients on the label. still, when simpson was buying her favorite frozen pizzas she says, she had no idea they contained what the suit calls a toxic carcinogen. >> we are seeking all the money nestle's ever made selling frozen pizzas. >> reporter: this is not the first transfat lawsuit. in 2005, mcdonald's paid $8.5 million to pay two lawsuits. but will this pizza suit get tossed out of court? nestle tells abc news, we will vigorously defend ourselves against all baseless allegations all our pizza product are in strict compliance with fda and usda regulations. gio benitez, abc news, new york. >> you know, i don't think the companies are breaking any fda, labeling regulations. this may do something.

it may cause them to sort of, yeah, rob. >> just so tasty. >> really may make them become better corporate citizens and perhaps change their food and make healthier food for their customers. >> she is taking a stand for an obese nation, i guess. we'll be back in a moment. stay with us. >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our abc stations.

as more attention is paid to the long-term dangers of concussions to football players the search for solutions is on. >> a pennsylvania company claims its new insert for helmets actually might make a difference. abc's terry moran put it to the test. >> reporter: head injuries and their potential lifelong consequences with the biggest threat to america's gridiron heroes. concern is mounting at every level, the nfl, colleges.

even high school. >> there is definitely the fear every single time he goes out there and plays. you wonder. >> reporter: concussions are the most common injury among high school football players. so jeff for, president of the warriors booster club, decided to do something. she raised money to buy the team helmet inserts made by unequal technologies for added protection. it is all part of a sort of cottage industry that sprung up to cater to worried parents. unequal technologies one of the highest profile players in the new market, described its product explicitly as concussion reduction technology, or crt. it is a liner, a strip of composite material including bulletproof kevlar. you stick it inside the helmet. rob vito is founder and ceo of unequal technologies. >> these athletes need to take control of their own safety. >> reporter: he says he worked with scientists to create a military grade composite

material to protect athletes from head to toe. >> the guy would have you believe it is his magical material. there is nothing magical about it. >> reporter: dave is an engineer, technical director at southern impact research center one of the leading testing labs for sports equipment in the nation. among many others things he tests helmets. lots of helmets. you say concussion reduction technology, is that what you are doing? >> our claim is that we help reduce the possibility of head injury. that's our claim. we never mention the word concussion. >> reporter: after our interview, unequal technology sent us what they say will be their new packaging for their product. the words "concussion reduction technology" have been removed. for so many football players the risk is real. players and parents want answers. but right now, they aren't out there. >> that magic bullet, that if you just do this, you can continue to play the way you are and you're immune from injury.

it just doesn't work. >> any, whatever helps, you look at dave duerson, you look at juni junior seau, you go, okay, something needs to be done. a new era in the nfl in terms of worrying about player safety. i wonder why concussion reduction language was taken off. >> does the work? that will open you up to all sorts of liability. >> the testing showed it does or it doesn't. i guess -- difficult. i guess whatever it helps. the guys. all cheering on our teams sunday, super bowl. the tolls the guy put on their body. >> put their lives on the line. >> think about that over your chicken wings and pizza. we will be back. chicken wings and pizza. we will be back. chicken wings and pizza. we will be back. and did you see the magic eraser clean up that crazy kitchen mess? it was like super dirty, super clean. how? wish i hadn't. [ sniffs ] what's that amazing smell? it's mr. clean with the amazing scent of gain.

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yeah. >> did you read it? okay. >> you know i download all the books on my ipad. then i read them all at different times. chapters here. chapters there. if i get bored with one story line i move on. a little schizophrenic. >> one of these days i will learn to read. well, jimmy kimmel may have treated matt damon terribly, keeping him in the green room for ten years, or so damon says. >> jimmy is loyal to his family, friend and even the family of his friend. kabc's george pennacchio has the story. ♪ >> reporter: cleto and the cletones are a big part of the jimmy kimmel family. since jimmy was a kid he has been a big part of his pal's cleto's family. cleto sr. calls jimmy his other son. >> jimmy was at the house every day. slept over our house. i wake up early in the morning the i would hear -- i said that's jimmy. jimmy had a little allergy problem.

>> reporter: jimmy's friendship with cleto jr. began when he was 9 years old. so when jimmy headed to late night ten years ago, he asked cleto to be his bandleader. >> he could have tried to get somebody that was established, would have helped the show, bigger name, he trusted me with the job. i tried to do the best i can. >> reporter: one of the best things he did was hire his dad to be in the band. >> i look to my left. i see him. still get chills. >> reporter: before jimmy kimmel live, cleto sr. worked at caesar's palace for 30 years, from busboy, to room service waiter, to head butler. he had walked away from a career in muds toik support his family. >> he never said, you know what i gave up for you? never any of that. that gave me drive in my career. i wanted to succeed so bad for him because of what he had given up for our family. >> reporter: now 70, cleto sr. feels blessed. >> you know, i always told him, stay gold.

i am getting emotional. sorry about that. he has been the greatest son in the world. >> reporter: as for the other son, kimmel. >> we get to see each other every day. it's really -- i mean, that, to me, is probably the best thing about doing this show is that cleto's dad got to be what he was born to be, which is a musician. >> reporter: this is george pennacchio, reports for abc news. >> i like jimmy more and more. >> yeah. >> the more i learn about him. >> loyal. lot of family love on the show too. very cool. very cool. nicely done,

this morning on "world news now" -- dramatic demands. gunshot survivor gabby giffords returns to capitol hill with a very straightforward message.

>> she is taking aim at her former colleagues pleading for tougher gun control laws. it is thursday, january 31st. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> oh, our waning hours together here, sunshine. and the end of january already. last day of the month. friday, the first, coming up tomorrow. moving fast as it always does. good "merning," everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> i'm tweeting everybody that now, good merning. >> good merning. >>. >> because i'm setting next to you. >> keep it casual. good merning. >> i'm sunny hostin. we'll get reaction to gifford's comments from capitol hill. then another shooting victim nearly killed by the taliban because she wanted an education. she faces a critical stage of her recovery. what doctors are doing next to help a girl who has become an inspiration. >> trying to kill her had the exact opposite effect. made her and her message stronger. >> she's a hero now. >> can't wait to bring you the story coming up in a minute.

the young man who made headlines by squatting in a multimillion-dollar south florida home hoping to stay there scot-free. there has been a major new development. most of you guys have already gezed how that one will end. stick around anyway. and then, all the super bowl excitement, as the teams get ready, the coaches' parents express their pride and fans show up to enjoy new orleans hospitality. >> new orleans has the fair share of problems like major metro areas, the one thing my old town does as well as anybody on the planet is host a big party. so i know -- >> always a big party. >> whoo. sorry i can't be there. i am there in spirit. i know that city is beside itself for the next few days. carnival season on top of the super bowl. good times down there. but first some news this morning. from washington to newtown, we have heard powerful testimony about the need to stop gun violence. >> advocates on both sides of the debate took their strong views to capitol hill. abc's karen travers is covering it all. good morning, karen. >> reporter: good morning, rob. good morning, sunny.

there were some tense exchanges on what gun control would look like and who it would target. bru in-- but in a hearing that lasted more than four hours, it was the 1:15 from gabby giffords that may have overshadowed everything else. gabby giffords served as a painful reminder of the effects of gun violence. >> speaking is difficult, but i need to say something important. >> reporter: it was an emotional appeal for her former colleagues in congress to do what they can to prevent another tragedy. >> you must act. be bold. be courageous. >> reporter: the nra said the focus should not be on new laws. >> we need to enforce the thousands of gun laws already on the books. >> reporter: it is the mass shootings that capture the nation's attention, but every day the gun violence in the u.s. continues. last week, chicago teenager

hadiya pendleton was in washington for president obama's inauguration. she was gunned down in a park just a few blocks from her school. the apparent innocent victim of a gang war. president obama made gun control a top priority for his second term. he's pushing lawmakers to pass legislation that will limit the number of rounds in a magazine clip, renew a ban on so-called assault weapons, and require universal background checks for gun purchases. the nra says it is no longer on board with that because it just won't work. >> you are never going to get criminals to go through universal background checks. >> reporter: republicans and even some rural state democrats agree. that is a big challenge for president obama. rob and sunny, back to you. >> all right, thanks a lot, karen. the world's biggest retailer has made a decision about ammunition sales. wal-mart customers may buy only three boxes of ammo a day. because of limited supplies these days.

with demand up for bullets, wal-mart says it is striking a balance between serving hunters and sportsmen and selling firearms responsibly. in newtown, an emotional hearing on gun control wrapped up. among the witnesses, parents who lost their kids in the sandy hook massacre. one mother called on lawmakers to turn this tragedy into a moment of transformation. a few newtown residents spoke out against more restrictions on gun rights. >> if you think about it those parent are still grieving. they're the face, many of them have become the face of this, this gun control issue. i mean, it is what six weeks ago? that they lost their babies? talking about babies. >> 14th of december, too. and not only the media spot light on that community trying to grieve. but then in the middle of this hot-button political issue as well. and it has got to be very hard on the families on multiple levels. still no clear idea where this thing is going to go. there's a lot of speak right now, a lot of talk, a lot of political theater.

when it actually gets down to the nitty-gritty of legislation, there is to guarantee just yet what can be accomplished, what there is political will to do and not to do on capitol hill. lot of question marks hanging over the political fate of this discussion. >> if it's ever going to happen, now would be the time. now would be the time. >> you would think. a healthy debate. and police in phoenix are searching for a 70-year-old man believed armed and dangerous. one person was killed yesterday, two others wounded when a man named arthur harmon opened fire at a law firm office. it's believed he fled in a rental white car. in the middle of a lawsuit, and the shooting took place after a mediation session. a medical hurdle for a courageous young girl shot in the head by the taliban in pakistan simply because she wanted an education. the 15-year-old will undergo a final delicate operation before resuming a normal life. as abc's nick schifrin reports this survivor is truly an inspiration. >> reporter: malala yousafzai's

future begins in this lab, with that piece of titanium. >> it might need adjusted. >> reporter: it will cover a three-inch-wide hole in her skull, caused three months ago after a taliban gunman shot her point blank. the bullet passed through the red line. yet she survived. as she recuperated, she became a global icon of courage, elegant advocate for girls' education. and once dr. stephen edmondson is done shaping titanium so it fits her skull she can restart her life. >> not only does it recontour the skull, it protects the brain as well. >> reporter: the bullet affected her hearing. she'll need a cochlear implant to know where sound is coming from. after her surgery she will remain in the hospital for less than a week and will need a year and a half to make a full recovery. at that point with a little luck, doctors say you won't tell the difference between malala before and after she was shot. nick schifrin, abc news,

birmingham, england. well, the dream may be over in boca raton, florida. remember the squatter who moved into a mansion. well he's been served eviction papers. a 23-year-old brazilian moved into the multimillion-dollar waterfront pad just last month. he settled in claiming an old florida law, gaining worldwide attention in the process. bank of america foreclosed on the property in july and filed a civil suit against barbosa last week. he has been served papers but it's unclear how long the eviction process will take. and i guarantee you, it's because of all of the media coverage. >> of course. but you have to respect, you know, the bum has class. >> he tried. >> he didn't go for the little cardboard box or the subway grate. i need a mansion. i got things to do. >> waterfront. >> it's a weird law called adverse possession. under it a squatter can claim the property if they live there seven years and pay taxes on it. the 2012 taxes on that mansion?

39 grand, which i'm guessing he may not have. >> you know what? adverse possession has been around forever. you know? but he, it's interesting to me that he even knew about it. it is a bit obscure. you learn that first year in law school. >> he is smart. knew about it. >> he sure did. >> i don't blame him. >> i need to adversely possess real estate. >> aim high. aim high. well, violent storms are slamming the east coast this morning, after leaving parts of the south and midwest in shambles. the giant system triggered two dozen tornadoes. one of them slammed northern georgia knocking out power, flipping over semi trucks and cars and damaging 100 homes. one man was killed when a tree crushed his trailer. another man died in tennessee. >> rough few days for weather. with that take a look at today's weather. strong storms from atlanta to new england. some morning downpours for d.c. and here in the big apple. lake-effect snow from michigan to upstate new york. snow in the northern rockies and cascades. showers in the pacific northwest. >> 40s from boise to

albuquerque. subzero and single digits in the midwest with wind chills dipping to 50 below zero. 50s in the northeast. upper 70s in miami. i can't believe i just said 50 below zero with wind chill. >> no reason to voluntarily be anywhere that cold in life. ever. move. today. >> okay. we now present the star of this morning's broadcast. the mascot from western illinois university, rocky. >> rocky! rocky got excited the other day and ran right into the path of a backflipping cheerleader. rocky must not have seen her in that bulky costume of his. you have to wonder what kind of vision he has. >> the girl was fine. bounced right back up. and rocky seemed fine too. he did some pushups, sit-ups, tried to make things look normal. good going, rocky. >> maybe his way of just trying. >> she flattened rocky out. >> maybe that was rocky's game. let me bump into her, i think she's kind of cute. let me knock into her a little bit. >> not a good game. not a good game. getting flattened out. >> like pulling your pig tails

in kindergarten. that's how we show we like you sometimes. >> rocky, that wasn't a hot move, rocky. >> rocky has got game. i bet right now. the costume is still on. coming up, turning to a fortune teller for a super bowl pick. and later, rihanna's tainted love story, explaining why, yes, she's back together with chris brown. you are watching "world news now." ♪ hey how much i love you boy >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by lunesta. lunesta. ght to you by lunesta. and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported.

lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. so try the air wick freshmatic. it automatically fills the air with rich fragrance. just one freshmatic refill lasts as long as 55 aerosol cans. something in the air wick.

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♪ oh, the music from new orleans. i love it, i love it. we'll have some fun tomorrow on the show, too, with the super bowl. come back with us tomorrow. we always have fun on friday. >> oh, yes. what do you get when you mix the super bowl and mardi gras in new orleans? it is our "favorite story of the day." we both love new orleans. >> near and dear to my heart. always. you get a big party in the big easy right now. at the center of it all, a sibling rivalry between two head coaching brothers. but it's their parents who are stealing the show. >> who has it better than us? nobody! >> reporter: meet the proudest

parents on the planet, jack and jackie harbaugh. for their sons, it's just another day at the office, as their two teams prepare for the biggest game of their lives. at 49ers practice, head coach jim harbaugh watched closely as he put his team to work. not too far away, harbaugh's brother, john, guided his baltimore ravens through their drills. but even tough as nails ray lewis found time to crack a joke. the harbaugh brothers will go head to head in what is now being dubbed the harbowl. >> no one talks to anyone. jim is very quiet and guarded. john is very quiet and guarded. that's exactly the way we wanted them. >> reporter: their mother she is more optimistic. >> this is like -- frosting on the cake for our whole family. >> reporter: oddsmakers have the 49ers favored by 3 1/2 points. but the super bowl is in new orleans, so if you want a prediction, ask the expert at

reverend zombie's house of voodoo. even then there is no clear answer. >> your regret is upside down. and their, their sorrow is sideways. i can't really say. but, i can say it looks -- you're looking pretty good. i would shore up the offense though. >> reporter: for new orleans all the super hype is business as usual on bourbon street. food, music, and of course, flying beads for mardi gras which this year shares the spotlight with the big game. the best of both worlds. >> you are not going to be able to walk. >> well, a lot of these people can't walk right now. >> that's because they're drunk. >> new orleans spirit. let the good times roll. >> a reminder, send us your super bowl pictures. we want to see you in ravens or 49ers garb. rockin' it for the big game. >> this is an overnight show. so, of course, it's okay to be risque. show your creativity, and maybe cleavage, video, whatever you got. we hope to show them on the show

tomorrow. find all e-mail information on our facebook page, wnnfans.com. we want to see what kind of team spirit are -- >> we have gotten some cleavage pictures from some fans. >> i would -- i would -- kbilly was his tag. he sent all his cleavage pictures yesterday. some bartending friends. they were like, all over the place yesterday. >> sent some good ones, kbilly's pals. >> i enjoyed them. >> you did! you did. >> i must admit. show us some team spirit. we want to see what is going on out there in overnight land. ravens, niners. tattoos, outfits, costumes whatever you got. >> open to all that. >> have fun. eat well. get ready for the big game. but for now, coming up next -- rihanna's reunion. >> why she decided to go back to chris brown. you are watching "world news now." >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our abc stations.

rihanna is on the cover of tomorrow's edition of "rolling stone." her cover article is titled "crazy in love." >> because it is about her reunion with chris brown. despite a lot of evidence to the contrary, she says he is a changed man. here's abc's cecilia vega with more. ♪ i choose to be happy >> reporter: these days rihanna is happy in love and now opening up for the first time about her reunion with chris brown. in a new "rolling stone" interview, the mega star says she and brown are in a great place and she is not apologizing for it. she says, i decided it was important for me to be happy and i wasn't going to let anybody's opinion get in the way of that. even if it's a mistake, it's my mistake. it has been four years since that infamous night when brown left rihanna bloody and bruised. she described it to diane sawyer. >> he had no -- no soul in his eyes. just blank. he was clearly blacked out.

there was no person when i looked at him. >> reporter: brown has been making headlines this week for an alleged brawl with singer frank ocean. but rihanna says he is a rehabilitated man. he made a mistake and paid his dues, she says. he paid so much. sometimes people need support and encouragement instead of ridicule and criticism and bashing. the pop star says their relationship has changed for the better. it's different now. we don't have those types of arguments anymore. we value each other. we know exactly what we have now, and we don't want to lose that. rihanna told "rolling stone" fans should not confuse her love for weakness. >> there's no third chances. she will walk away and have no problem with it. >> reporter: and if it happens again? that is just not an option rihanna says. i wouldn't be here if i didn't think chris was ready. just like the name of her newest album, rihanna truly is unapologetic.

cecilia vega, abc news, los angeles. >> let's all hope for his and her sake he has changed and that there will not be a repeat incident. there will not be much sympathy for her if there is another incident. >> he just doesn't get a pass. a man doesn't get a pass on behavior like that. >> i don't disagree. whatsoever. >> i'm disappointed. >> she had to come to a gentle soul, gentle giant. >> you are a gentleman. >> that's right. >> you are a gentleman. >> treat her right. you don't know about that, willis. i would treat rihanna right. >> he is a gentleman. >> take a little lesson from tina turner. maybe things get rough, get out of there. >> get out of there. ♪ left a big job for the city >> she got to roll out. proud mary style. got to roll out. proud mary style. intermezzo is the first and only prescription sleep aid approved for use as needed in the middle of the night when you can't get back to sleep. it's an effective sleep medicine you don't take before bedtime.

take it in bed only when you need it and have at least four hours left for sleep. do not take intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as ambien. allergic reactions such as shortness of breath or swelling of your tongue or throat may occur and may be fatal. intermezzo should not be taken if you have taken another sleep medicine at bedtime or in the middle of the night or drank alcohol that day. do not drive or operate machinery until at least 4 hours after taking intermezzo and you're fully awake. driving, eating, or engaging in other activities while not fully awake without remembering the event the next day have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. alcohol or taking other medicines that make you sleepy may increase these risks. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. intermezzo, like most sleep medicines, has some risk of dependency. common side effects are headache, nausea, and fatigue.

so if you suffer from middle-of-the-night insomnia, ask your doctor about intermezzo and return to sleep again. ♪ it's scary how much dirt your vacuum can leave behind. add resolve deep clean powder before you vacuum to expel the dirt within your carpets. resolve's deep clean powder is moist. absorbing and lifting three times more dirt than vacuuming alone. leaving you with a carpet that's truly fresh and clean. don't just vacuum clean. resolve clean. >> with hotwire's low prices, i can afford to visit chicago for my first big race and l.a. for my best friend's wedding. because when hotels have unsold rooms, they use hotwire to fill them. so i got my hotels for half-price! >> men: ♪ h-o-t-w-i-r-e ♪ hotwire.com

♪ i am dedicating this next story to everyone in the tv news business. every reporter has been doing, at some point in their career, a

live shot. and there's some moron in the background, jumping, waving, whatever. everybody in tv has been through this. you have probably seen it at home. it is annoying and distracting. there was a reporter from wkng, orlando, reporting from new orlesns, on bourbon street, some drunk person on bourbon street came up and tried to get on camera. look how brilliantly this reporter handled it. >> what is left is people walking around with a glazed look in their eyes. like this one behind me. hi, yes, how are you doing? >> california. >> very nice to meet you. >> 49ers. >> you are going to do an interview with us? >> sure. >> we are just talking about here on bourbon street, the std rate that's been going on here. and so how long have you had an std? >> i don't have an std. >> oh, then why did you want to talk? >> that was masterfully handled. i have never seen another reporter handle it that well. and embarrass that girl.

she had a beer in her hand. that was brilliantly handled. and that tv reporter, we'll appreciate the moment. she totally embarrassed that girl. get out of my live shot. much love to wkng in orlando. going to follow that girl on twitter. i have respect for how she handled that. well, next, men sometimes feel that they perhaps will get more love and affection from their women if they held around the house and do house chores. >> all right. >> well there's been a study. no, no, no. apparently women sort of find it not so sexy when men are helping them with their house chores and doing housework and cleaning around. >> excellent. >> and they get less sex if they do it. >> oh. >> men, don't, i guess don't help out in that way. some women will find you less masculine and less sexy. >> less sex for some domestic chores. but more if something like handy work and fixing stuff that kind of thing. >> i guess that follows, yes. >> i'm saying if you do the laundry that is not sexy.

but if you're putting a new roof on, there's a difference in the kind of work. >> maybe. doesn't really say that. yeah, more traditionally masculine jobs. like home repair. >> nothing wrong with that. got to keep the pipes clean. also, a new thing out there now. they're getting into perfume for babies. babies always smell good. when they're not full, you know what i mean? >> just delicious. >> apparently many brands are doing this. burberry, dolce & gabana. it's going to be literally perfume for newborns, for infants. >> they don't need it. smell like puppy dog tails.ñcñ??

this morning on "world news now" -- nature's rampage. storms more common in springtime tear through the south with a vengeance during the middle of winter. >> the tornadoes' deadly consequences, extremely powerful winds and widespread damage.

it is thursday, january 31st. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." happy friday eve, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm sunny hostin. the dangerous winds from that storm could turn the morning commute hazardous today for millions. we'll have the latest on that. it is remarkable the weather. >> oh, yeah. the roller coaster. >> 60 degrees in new york. >> balmy now in new york. by the time we get out to go home after the show it will be a blizzard outside again. so it's been a wild ride. dead of winter. got to love it. >> that's right. and another major headline this morning, the hostage drama in alabama. in the middle of it all a little boy, 6 years old, stuck in an underground bunker. this is just remarkable, this little boy taken off a school bus. the bus driver shot and killed. and the little boy is still being held hostage. >> just 5 years old going through an ordeal like that. wait till you hear the

background on the suspect in the case and what he was known in the neighborhood for. very scary character. just say that. also this morning, the highly paid baseball player now in the middle of a federal drug investigation. the new, serious allegations a-rod is now facing. and the big money at stake. first lance armstrong. now getting into a-rod. king of the yankees. there are no more heroes, folks. he, of course, is denying it. but it doesn't look good right now. >> it doesn't. later the mastermind of the embarrassing manti t'eo hoax reveals his true motive. the jaw-dropping details are coming up in "the skinny." you must stay tuned for that. because the details are truly jaw-dropping. not to say i didn't call it though. >> you and millions of others. we had this discussion earlier in the week about the, the hoaxer's motives perhaps more questionable than the hoaxee's. what he admitted to dr. phil kind of clears a lot of things up. >> sure does.

>> so stay tuned to that for sure. but first, we do begin with the killer storms threatening the east coast this morning. after trouncing the south and midwest, at least two people so far are dead. >> as many as two dozen tornados have touched down. the winds so fast and furious they derailed a freight train in missouri, blowing 50 cars off the tracks. coverage begins with abc's larry jacobs. >> reporter: a trail of debris stretching as far as the eye can see in this town about an hour north of atlanta. again, a funnel just crossing the interstate here in adairsville. for more than 20 minutes, an f-2 tornado, with winds estimated at 125 miles an hour demolished homes and businesses and pulled down power lines. >> there was no warnings from no sirens, no nothing. >> i was so scared it just picked me up and slinged me three times. >> reporter: overturned cars littered major georgia roads. and the twister picked up 18-wheelers and tossed them around like toys. >> i couldn't believe it picked my truck up and flipped it over lick that.

i mean, i can't believe it. >> reporter: one person was killed in georgia. another death reported in tennessee when a tree fell on a shed where a man sought shelter. tornados there packed winds up to 115 miles an hour causing more misery. in indiana, a storm system left thousands in the dark and destroyed dozens of homes. >> i didn't know if i was going to make it through it or not. >> reporter: extreme weather marching across the country brought heavy rains and flooding to other areas. strong winds blew through north carolina. look what the wind did to this police helicopter in pennsylvania. larry jacobs, abc news, new york. >> what a mess around a large swath of the country. and besides those destructive winds, part of the storm system is now dumping snow in some pretty large amounts. >> snow fell on wide areas of the midwest. it was so windy, roads drifted shut. this morning that storm is hitting the most populated areas of the country. let's get the latest from jim dickey at accuweather. good morning, jim. >> good morning, rob and sunny. thankfully the storm that caused all the trouble the past few

days, that's departing out to sea. across the northeast here, wind shifting out of the north and west behind the front. temperatures will tumble through the afternoon. many spots this morning in the 50s. by the time the sun sets, 20s and 30s. wind will be gusting through the day, causing widespread issues mere, -- here, especially at the airports. gusts to 60 miles per hour. across the northeast into new england. and that is a chilly air mass. arctic air firmly entrenched in the upper midwest. this is the cold air moving in. right now. your daytime high in bismarck, only minus 12. hold at zero in minneapolis. and pierre. as the cold air moves over the lakes looking for significant lake-effect snow. rob, sunny, back to you. >> thanks, jim. now to the hostage standoff in rural alabama and the waiting game. last night, dozens gathered about a mile from where a man is holding a 6-year-old boy captive to pray for a safe resolution. police say it started tuesday afternoon when the man, jimmy lee dykes, killed the boy's bus driver before taking the boy

hostage. a neighbor calls dykes both paranoid and violent. >> i kept saying that this -- it's -- you know if a man can -- can kill a dog, beat it with a lead pipe and brag about having done it, then it's, it's nothing until -- until it is going to be people. >> the bunker where the boy is being held is said to have electricity, food, and a television. authorities say the boy has received medicine. >> frightening ordeal. man. there is new momentum this morning toward immigration reform. a bipartisan group from the house is working on legislation similar to proposals by senate negotiators and president obama. the groundbreaking measure could be unveiled within days. president obama says he would like the whole process wrapped up in six months. >> it has been too long since we reformed the system. and we are starting to see a bipartisan consensus build around this.

>> florida republican lawmaker mario diaz-ballard said he felt a huge sea change on the issue from both parties. certainly -- we talked about this all week, changing demographics in the country made this possible. they're going to get something done. certainly see action more easily and quickly on this than you will on gun control. that's for sure. >> of course, because it's the latino voting bloc. everyone came out in droves. if you are the republican party you have got to be concerned about that. you have to somehow change your message to attract that group of voters. the message before the election was, you know, let's shore up our borders. let's not worry about, immigration reform. and now we are hearing a different message. >> mitt romney talking self-deportation, mixed messages from his campaign, where he stood. it was all interesting. president obama made it clear if congress doesn't act i will send my own bill up there and get something done. there definitely seems to be some determination to get something done. >> and on both sides of the aisle. >> exactly.

which is nice to see one issue with a -- with a little bit of bipartisanship. we don't see too much. good to see it on an issue this country's talked about for decades. finally maybe some action on the way. well, john kerry's senate seat has been filled now that he's been confirmed as next secretary of state. massachusetts governor deval patrick has appointed his former chief of staff, william cowen. cowen will serve in the senate until june's election. for kerry's permanent replacement. it is the first time in history there will be two african-americans serving in the senate. the other is tim scott from south carolina. >> impressive diversity gains in this congress. all kinds of records shattered. women, african-americans. so very interesting. in other news this morning, toyota is recalling more than 1 million cars because of two different safety defects. 907,000 toyota corolla and matrix models are being recalled because of faulty airbags. those cars were made between

2001 and 2004. nearly 400,000 lexus i.s. cars sold over the past six years may have defective wipers. they get stuck during heavy snowfall. toyota will make the repairs as always for free. new generation of the blackberry has been unveiled with a touch screen designed to rival its competitors including the iphone. the new blackberries come with a new operating system. one version due out in march will have a touch screen. another version on sale a month later will have a physical keyboard. alicia keys, my ek girlfriend, has been name ed creative director. the company officially changed the name from research in motion to blackberry. that name change makes a lot of sense. no one called it research in motion. everyone said blackberry. >> i may give that a try. i was a huge blackberry fan. then after the keyboard. >> the keyboard is too small. >> the issue it blacked out. i was done. then i was done. >> i've don't like it. >> i lost so much information, so much data. after three days, i gave up. i may give it another chance. >> i will do whatever alicia

keys tells me to do. >> exactly. >> that girl is on. ♪ fire all right, well, i am the mother of two. so i will just say, god bless these parents. on monday, viviana and emannuel eberle of wisconsin were welcomed into the world by their parents, curtis and vicki. >> it will be easy for curtis and vicki to remember their birthday. because at home they have another set of twins, get this -- who were born on the same exact day two years ago. but at least they have some unpaid help at home. the couple has a 7, 5, and 3-year-old. god bless that family. >> that's very -- >> that is a full house. >> -- ambitious. >> yeah. >> at least you only have to have one birthday party for four kids. >> yeah, you consolidate. >> yeah. that's -- and they're all under the age of 7 then. >> fertility not a problem in that household. >> not at all. >> everybody's boys are swimming. coming up next, a real-life

medical drama for a star known for his x-rated movies. and later, cats kill birds. we all know that. but just how many birds? it's a number that may astound even the most loyal cat lovers. you are watching "world news now." ♪ meow-meow-meow ♪ meow-meow-meow >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by consumer cellular. ellular. by consumer cellular. how far will people go to relieve their sore throat?

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for a better clean. the pro-health clinical brush from oral-b. could alex rodriguez be the lance armstrong of baseball? the sport's highest paid player confessed to using

performance-enhancing drugs, but said he stopped ten years ago. >> but now, a report by a miami newspaper claims he used them more recently than that. and now, the dea is looking into it all. here's abc's bob woodruff. >> reporter: they are one of the greatest teams in sports. he was on track to become the best in baseball. so the yankees signed alex rodriguez, known as a-rod, to a ten-year contract worth $275 million. the biggest in history. >> numbers were just mind-boggling. people thought, his career is set. this guy is going to walk into cooperstown some day as the greatest of all time. >> reporter: the yankees paid a-rod $30 million last year alone. that's more than $238,000 per game, $234,000 per hit, and each home run, a whopping $1.6 million. his prowess on the field, often overshadowed by his prowess off. those blue eyes, charming the likes of cameron diaz, kate

hudson, even madonna, as red sox fans gleefully mocked. but now it all could be falling apart. rodriguez is facing new accusations of using performance-enhancing drugs. major league baseball is investigating. and sources tell espn, the yankees want a-rod out. >> his production has been flagrantly diminishing. >> reporter: rodriguez has long been accused of using steroids. see how he bulked up over the years. he finally came clean in 2009. >> i did take a banned substance. and, um, you know, for that, i am very sorry. and deeply regretful. >> reporter: a-rod insisted he stopped doping back in 2004 and that he's always been clean as a yankee. his spokesman repeating the claim as new charges swirl. but he has got another $114 million left on that mega contract. which is why the yankees may be looking for ways out of this troubled marriage. bob woodruff, abc news, new york.

>> what another spectacular fall from grace that could be. wow. coming up next, breaking right now. a sex scandal involving a very famous nfl star. and excuses, excuses, from lindsay lohan. that's coming up next in "the skinny." >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our abc statio

♪ skinny so skinny

>> skinny in the house! >> pretty good. >> willis is here in case you didn't notice. yeah. all right, manti te'o. talking about this a long time. this scandal, everybody seems to be a little bit obsessed with. the guy behind it all, the hoaxer, who kind of obviously duped manti, tuiasosopo, i think i said that right this time. >> ronaiah tuiasosopo. >> there it is. you say it much better than i do. he was on dr. phil's show. it's going to air on thursday or friday. they released a clip of what he said during the interview. the bottom line, the guy is saying he did this all because he fell in love with manti. according to dr. phil. here we have a young man that fell deeply romantically in love. i asked him straight up, was this a romantic relationship with you? and he said, yes. i said, are you therefore gay? he said, when you put it that way, yes. then he caught himself, and said, quote, i am confused. that is what you will hear during the interview.

a clip has been released. >> why did you end this relationship? >> there were many times where manti and lennay had broken up before, but every time that -- either i would try to end it or he would, or lennay would try to end it or he couwould, it's lik- they would break up and then something would bring them back together, whether it was something in his life or in this case, my life. >> 22 years old. obviously confused. says he fell in love with manti. >> bizarre he is talking about this as if she existed. but it's him! >> it is bizarre. now we are getting, at least getting psychological clarity on what was really going on there. so, whoo -- interesting. >> manti t'eo is a handsome guy. i could see how someone might just fall for him. >> you and tuiasosopo -- agree on that. breaking news this morning, too. >> yes, keeping with the football theme. everybody knows dan marino, ex-quarterback, for the

dolphins, squeaky clean image. inducted into the hall of fame in 2005. had an affair. >> this, according to a big article in "the post" this morning. >> according to "the post" had an affair with a 35-year-old production assistant at cbs sports where he was a pregame analyst. and still is an analyst for cbs. her name, the woman, donna sabatire. 35 years old. they had a baby girl named chloe, born in june 2005. two months before his hall of fame induction. and he admitted all of -- he paid her to be quiet. millions and millions of dollars. and he admitted to his wife, admitted yesterday, to this affair on his 28th wedding anniversary with his wife. >> he has a big role in the super bowl this weekend. you have to wonder, will cbs yank him or not? >> dan, dan, dan. >> always was a prolific scorer. also, lindsay lohan, back in the news again. apparently, had another court date.

here in new york. then she tried to get out of it saying she was sick. seen over the weekend smoking cigarettes and shopping. kind of weird. take a look at what the judge said sarcastically. >> i love this judge. >> there was some drama concerning her attendance today. and with due respect to the court -- >> glad to see you are feeling better. >> thank you. >> indicated that she did have an upper respiratory condition, and he felt -- >> is that like a cold? >> yes. >> a cold? >> yes. >> yeah, lindsay. >> the judge said, glad you are feeling better. all very sarcastic. so -- ouch. we also want to send good wishes to ron jeremy. >> ron jeremy. >> the adult star had a heart aneurysm. may not be looking good. thoughts and prayers with him. we'll be back. he adult star had a heart aneurysm. may not be looking good. thoughts and prayers with him. we'll be back. we'll be back. [ female announcer ] what does the anti-aging power of olay total effects

plus the perfecting color of a bb cream equal? introducing the newest beauty trend. total effects cc cream c for color. c for correction. [ female announcer ] fight 7 signs of aging flawlessly. cc what's possible.

in the middle of the night it can be frustrating. it's hard to turn off and go back to sleep. intermezzo is the first and only prescription sleep aid approved for use as needed in the middle of the night when you can't get back to sleep. it's an effective sleep medicine you don't take before bedtime. take it in bed only when you need it and have at least four hours left for sleep. do not take intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as ambien. allergic reactions such as shortness of breath or swelling of your tongue or throat may occur and may be fatal. intermezzo should not be taken if you have taken another sleep medicine at bedtime or in the middle of the night or drank alcohol that day. do not drive or operate machinery until at least 4 hours after taking intermezzo and you're fully awake.

driving, eating, or engaging in other activities while not fully awake without remembering the event the next day have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. alcohol or taking other medicines that make you sleepy may increase these risks. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. intermezzo, like most sleep medicines, has some risk of dependency. common side effects are headache, nausea, and fatigue. so if you suffer from middle-of-the-night insomnia, ask your doctor about intermezzo and return to sleep again. ♪ ♪ meow-meow-meow-meow ♪ meow-meow-meow-meow ♪ meow-meow-meow-meow [ laughter ] sorry. a whole separate discussion. >> exactly. we know all --

we do know that all people fall into one of two camps. either a dog person or cat person. cat people, listen up. >> uh-huh. a new study finds that cats are killing machines. far deadlier than any of us ever imagined. abc's resident cat lover, dan harris, has the frightening details. >> reporter: in the age of youtube, they play patty cake, get stuck in sleeves, and even in this viral video i made with the apsca, fly. but do not be fooled by all this alleged innocence. reality might be closer to this. >> behind the adorable exterior lurks lethal intent. the serial killer purring in your lap. you will never look at fluffy the same. >> reporter: ben johnson voices trailers for movies. we wrote that for him. but it turns out it is all true. we all know cats eat birds. what stunned scientists behind

this week's new study when you do thorough sleuthing on cats it turns out they're four times more vicious than previously imagined. every year they kill 12.3 billion mammals, like chipmunks and 2.4 billion birds, a feeding frenzy that is even endangering some rare birds. why? because the number of stray cats has exploded. and it turns out felines are much deadlier than we knew. >> he is the cutest serial killer you will ever meet. >> reporter: amy watts thought she knew her cat, booker t. but when scientists put a camera on the kitty, it captured carnage. the new numbers took me by surprise too. i never thought my wife and i were harboring three cold-blooded killers in our own home. but it is a real problem. a human problem. experts say we are the reason the cat population has exploded and we all have to do a better job of keeping them inside. >> dan, you will never look at your cats, steve, gus, and whoopi, the same. >> reporter: maybe not. thanks, ben.

dan harris, abc news, new york. >> i knew there was a reason i never liked cats. >> i love cats. but look, they eat birds. birds are tasty. we eat birds. >> not -- aw. see, look. and seconds later, that thing gouged my eyes out and robbed my house. >> they're wonderful. they're independent. they're spirited. i love cats. i had a cat for 20 years. cleo. cleo. >> cat is probably on death row now. we'll be back. >> announcer: this is abc's "world news now," informing insomniacs for two decades.

this morning, wet and windy. >> flooding rainfall and powerful winds overnight. part of a system that's caused extensive damage. even spawning some devastating tornadoes.

held hostage. a standoff drama now entering its third day. an armed man and a young boy. we have the very latest. powerful plea. gun violence forever altered her life. gabby giffords with her emotional speech. and a boy dashes on to the court right in the middle of a college basketball game. good thursday morning. i'm sunny hostin. >> and i'm rob nelson. we begin with the wicked weather that unleashed two dozen tornadoes on the south and the west. flipping cars, trucks, even a moving freight train. >> that storm is trejing up the east coast this morning. and big cities, d.c. and new york are getting drenched. abc's tahman bradley has the latest on the storm blamed, now, for at least two deaths.